Into the Hoods

Zoo Nation have landed in the West End. Where the dancers once found themselves in hip-hop movement, the company now finds itself on the stage of the Novello Theatre, in front of a rambunctious audience – young, loud and ready to rock.

They have come a long way since their first outing at the Peacock two years ago. The film episodes are better quality, the costumes sparklier, the set to a higher standard and the choreography more polished. It’s lost its goofiness, its uncertainty, its getting by on humour and charm. This is the real deal.

It’s a simple plot based on the Sondheim musical Into The Woods, well set up with an easy narrative and simple character introductions.

Two school kids get lost on the Ruff Endz estate, where a conniving landlord asks them to find presents for his daughter, Rap-on-zel: “an ipod as white as milk, a hoodie as red as blood, a weave as yellow as corn, and trainers as pure as gold”.

Rhimes Lecointe is full of ‘tude as the booty-shaking birthday girl, Sacha Chang eye catching and soulful as Lil’ Red, Roger Davies screamingly funny as Prince and Rowen Hawkins as Jaxx noticeable for his B-Boy moves. But it is Teneisha Bonner, as the vinyl spinning wannabe DJ Spinderella, who really steals the show, dancing with an edge, an energy and sharpness that I’ve never seen before.

The company have grown into an ensemble of incredible performers, and the show into a crowd-pleasing sell out. But more importantly Zoo Nation have blazed a trail for hip-hop dance theatre right into the mainstream theatre world.